New sub category: Hi-Vis Ninjas

[hackbike 666]

That isn't a fair analogy though Sharky. It's not like pedestrians, cyclists, etc. are camoflaged, they are relatively easy to spot.

Don't agree.Not every cyclist or ped anyway.

SO if I can't always see them how many motons have got worse eyesight than me?

My eyesight is pretty decent also thank god.

Plus I was riding in a car one and became aware that this motons eyesight wasn't that good as he mounted the pavement and asked me what happened.Don't know if he drives now.

I also thought the SAS went for dressing in all that ninja stuff.

Perhaps if it makes me more visible I could use it on my next commute along with the greasepaint as well.

 

[gbb]

While i wouldnt criticise the effort to wear a hi viz, even if it were without cycle lights...i always see this and wonder, if they hadnt been to work (and usually required to wear a hi-viz), would they have even made that effort.

My logic is, if the person valued his life enough and made a concious decision to wear a hi viz...why wouldnt he buy some cycle lights and do the job properly, its not as though you cant get some cheap LED ones that are 'adequate'

The conclusion i come to is he wouldnt use cycle lights anyway (because for whatever reason, its not important to him)....and he's only wearing a hi viz because he's been wearing one all day anyway. (generally speaking)

Basically, its laziness, pure and simple.

 

[joebingo]

They are effectively camouflaged if they're not using lights on an unlit road. Even when there are streetlights it's amazing how well an unlit cyclist blends into background. Especially bearing in mind the thousand and one other things a driver has to pay attention to. The mistake a lot of people make when believing that cyclists are visible even without lights is to think that drivers spend all their time staring fixedly at the road ahead, and if that was the case unlit cyclists might well be visible enough. But take into account mirror checks (is an unlit cyclist visible in an HGV mirror? Er, no), dashboard checks, watching those kids on the pavement twenty yards ahead, looking out for the motorcyclist on your offside rear quarter and so on and suddenly the unlit cyclist twenty yards ahead of you is not visible at all until the last minute. A cyclist with good lights on jumps out at you wherever you're looking, and that's as it should be.

Can't say much more than this really. Great post RT!

 

[brokenbetty]

My hi-viz tabbard says "Ninja Inside" on the back

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

That isn't a fair analogy though Sharky. It's not like pedestrians, cyclists, etc. are camoflaged, they are relatively easy to spot.

Sorry BM, I was referring more to true Ninja Cyclists (i.e. without any Hi-viz stuff) - should have made that clearer.

 

[BentMikey]

So was I, actually.

 

[Happiness Stan]

I've seen several recently, usually wearing your standard security guards/builders/carriageway repair mans waterproof hi-vis coat while cycling (on the inevitable full-sus Halfords special) to/from work. They are no more visible to the motorist than your bog-standard pitch-black ninja, generally because they are scudding along in the gutter, but the worst part is they think they are fine since they are wearing a hi-vis coat.
Anyone else encountered these types?

Sorry, how is a cyclist in a hi-viz jacket no more visible than someone wearing black?

 

[Happiness Stan]

Oh I've trawled through the other messages. Carry on.

 

[Browser]

Sorry Stan, as per usual my original post was half-thought out. I was referring to the fact that, from having spotted a few of these characters (albeit when I was nearly on top of them due to lack of lights) their general demeanour and manner on the bike strongly suggested that because they were wearing hi-vis they were as visible as a fully lit cyclist, and I thought they deserved a separate category

 

[rh100]

When driving - I often spot the ninja's by the up down motion of the pedal reflectors - you're brain registers it straight away as a cyclist. If I ever decide to go clipless - it will always be with reflectives on my ankles.
Apart from the lights issue - I think hi-vis with reflectives are an excellent combination (both are of course different with different benefits), I wear a workmans vest over my cycling jacket, as the jacket has minimal reflection.
Cost of lights must be a major reason for not having them - IMO £35 was the minimum spend on getting a passable set of lights - not everyone can afford that.

 

[Browser]

What price would you put on your life though?

 

[joebingo]

if you can afford a bike, you can afford £30 for a pair of cateyes.

 

[marinyork]

Lol love the thread title, seems a bit self defeating calling them ninjas though, they aren't proper ninjas .

 

[661-Pete]

I'm not quite sure what a ninja is, maybe someone will explain (or shall I google it?). Heard of 'teenage ninja' something, but I though that was a sort of cartoon tortoise - perhaps an apt word for me after all since I've got very slow of late...

Anyway I shall continue with the hi-viz - and the lights - regardless, care not a whit for the sneers if anyone on this thread is sneering. Can't oblige with the full-suss halfords, sorry! Best of all would be if there were no half-blind motorists on the road, but we can't have it all our way. And I crave to be still alive after that half-blind motorist has passed me by.

Besides, it helps to keep me warm, and keeps the rain off - and the snow.

 

[Arch]

Cost of lights must be a major reason for not having them - IMO £35 was the minimum spend on getting a passable set of lights - not everyone can afford that.

Nonsense. I've never paid that much for a set of lights, and mine are perfectly adequate for urban riding. I think the last set I bought was about £15 (for a 5 LED white front light, and 3 or 4 LED red rear), and you can get perfectly decent back up red LED lights in the pound shop - a pound for two, I noticed today. I have little single LED backups, for about £5 a pair.

Lights for reliably seeing by might be more expensive, but for normal visibiltyby others on the road, a tenner is plenty, and a fiver would do at a pinch. To just be seen from behind - 50p if you split a pack with a mate.